Article of furniture



May 26, 1970 H. c. ACTON 3,513,935

ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Filed Aug. 8, 1967 Z INVENTOR. i HUGH c. ACTON FIG?) BY ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,513,985 ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Hugh C. Acton, Birmingham, Mich., assignor to Brunswick Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 8, 1967, Ser. No. 659,196 Int. Cl. A47b 57/00 US. Cl. 211-148 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An article of furniture primarily intended for business and institutional uses, in which a rigid cradle-like support ing base frame structure has a horizontal brace extending between a pair of upright side posts which are a unit self-contained and in which the posts above the brace are vertically split forming a vertical slot in each of the side posts in order to receive a furniture unit supported by gravity on the horizontal brace; the furniture unit used with the base frame being equipped with vertical ribs to fit the slots in the side posts, the interfitting being the sole means for positioning and retaining the furniture unit within the cradle formed by the supporting framework.

Background of the invention In designing furniture for use in offices, drawing rooms, libraries and the like, the range of types of furniture has become increasingly diverse. The ease of manufacture, the versatility and continuity of apearance throughout an entire line of furniture, and the use of standard manufacturing components have increasingly become major factors in the manufacture of furniture units such as desks, drafting tables, magazine racks, bookcases, carrels and the like. It is quite common to find such areas as drafting rooms adjoining and in open communication with ofiice areas or to'find book storage areas adjacentdesk or carrel areas. The wide range of furniture requirements in such versatile, combination-type working arrangement generally increases the cost of providing such units. In designing articles of furniture for use in such areas, the continuity of aesthetic features While maintaining versatility throughout the furniture line often has resulted in sacrifice of essentials such as stability and rigidity. This invention is directed to solving these problems.

Summary of the invention The principal object of this invention is to provide a new and improved article of furniture providing for ease of manufacture and continuity throughout an entire line of varying furniture units, while maintaining stability and rigidity therefore.

Another object of this invention is to provide an article of furniture of the character described wherein the supporting framework has a positive relation to the supported furniture unit and wherein the manufacturing components of the supporting framework are readily adaptable for use with various supported furniture units.

Another object of this invention is to provied a furniture unit which includes a cradle-like supporting structure comprising a horizontal supporting brace extending between vertically split side posts, and a furniture unit supported by the supporting brace and having a vertical rib disposed within each of the split side posts with the Vertical rib being the sole means for positioning and retaining the furniture unit within the cradle formed by the supporting structure.

A further object of this invention is to provide an article of furniture as set forth in the preceding paragraph wherein the split side posts clamp the furniture unit therebetween under tension.

3,513,985 Patented May 26, 1970 Description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an article of furniture in the form of a carrel, embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a magazine display rack, embodying the invention;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view taken generally along the lie 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of an unassembled bookcase, embodying the invention;

FIG. 5 is a partial side elevation view taken generally in the direction of line 55 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view taken generally along the line 66 of FIG. 4.

Detailed description of the invention The present invention generally involves articles of furniture and is illustrated in the drawings in various forms, each of which has a similar supporting structure and each of which has the same positive relation between the supporting structure and the supported furniture unit. FIG. 1 shows a double, reverse, offset carrel, generally designated C, supported within a cradle-like supporting structure, as will be more fully described below. FIG. 2 shows a furniture unit comprising a magazine display rack supported by a similar cradle-like supporting structure, and FIG. 4 shows a furniture unit comprising a desk which is illustrated as unassembled with its supporting structure. These furniture units have been shown for illustrative purposes only. The novel supporting structure and its positive relation to the supported furniture unit is the same for many other furniture units such as desks, newspaper display stands, dictionary stands, checkout counters and the like.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, the invention is shown to comprise a supporting framework which includes a pair of spaced vertical side posts, generally designated 10, and a horizontal supporting brace 12 extending between the side posts substantially below the top of the posts forming a cradle-like supporting structure, as best illustrated at the bottom of FIG. 4. Each of the side posts have horizontal feet 13 secured to the bottom end thereof extending generally perpendicular to the horizontal supporting brace 12.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, and referring particularly to FIG. 3, each of the side posts 10 comprises a pair of vertical bar-like members 14a, 14b secured together in a spaced relationship forming slots 16 for receiving vertical ribs 18 (more fully described below) of the supported furniture unit. Referring to FIG. 6, the vertical bar-like members 14a, 14b of each side post 10 are secured together by means of threaded bolts 19 extending through counterbored holes 20 in one of the vertical bar members of the side post (for instance, 14a in FIG. 6) through bores 22 at the ends of the horizontal supporting brace 12 and into tapped bores 24 in the other vertical bar member (for instance, 14b in FIG. 6).

Each of the furniture units, whether it be the carrel C, magazine rack M, or desk D, includes a pair of spaced side walls 26 disposed in planes generally perpendicular to a plane formed by the side posts 10. The side walls 26 bear against the inside of side posts 10, and each side wall has a vertical rib 18 on the exterior thereof and disposed in the slots 16 between the bar-like members 14a, 14b of the side posts. Each of the furniture units also includes a bottom wall 28 as best illustrated in FIG. 4 which rests by gravity on the horizontal supporting brace 12.

In assembly, the entire furniture unit, as illustrated by the desk in FIG. 4, is simply lowered vertically onto the cradle-like supporting framework, with the vertical ribs 18 on the outside of the desk side walls 26 sliding in the vertical grooves 16 in the side posts 10. When assembled, the desk is supported by gravity on the horizontal supporting brace 12 which extends between the side posts beneath the desk, and the desk is prevented from moving transverse relative to the supporting brace by the disposition of the desk ribs 18 in the side post grooves 16. No screws or other fastening means are required between the supporting framework and the supported furniture unit.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, it can be seen that the side walls 26 of the desk preferably extend below the desk bottom wall 28. A downwardly opening groove is centrally disposed in each side wall 26, below the bottom wall 28, for receiving and embracing the horizontal brace 12 to provide further stability to the structure.

When the vertical bar-like members 14a, 14b of side posts 10 are secured together by bolts 19, with the horizontal brace 12 disposed therebetween, the spacing between the upper ends of the side posts, indicated by arrow B in FIG. 4, is slightly less than the width of the furniture unit disposed therebetween, while the spacing between the side posts 10 immediately above brace 12 is at least equal to the width of the furniture unit so that the upper ends of the side posts bear inwardly under tension against the furniture unit when the article of furniture is assembled. In other words, since the side posts, as well as the entire cradle-like supporting structure, is preferably fabricated of steel, a clamping action on the sides of the supported furniture unit can be accomplished by properly arranging the bores 20, 22 and 24 in side post member 14a, supporting brace 12 and side post member 14b, respectively or supplementing bolts with welds to create clamping action, in such a manner that the side posts are slightly inclined inwardly toward each other above brace 12.

It should be understood that the side posts 10 need not be split the entire length thereof as shown in the drawings, but may simply include a vertical slot along a substantial portion thereof above the horizontal brace with the slots opening toward the opposite post. However, by employing the split side posts 10 as shown in the drawings, only two sections of steel or other material comprising the supporting framework are necessary. One section of elongated bar-like material is provided from which the vertical members 14a, 14b of the side posts 10 may be cut, and a second section of elongated bar-like material is provided from which the horizontal brace 12 and feet 13 may be cut. In this manner, each of the manufacturing components of the supporting framework may be finished individually and subsequently assembled to form a supporting framework of a size depending upon the particular furniture unit which is to be supported thereby. For instance, it can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2 that (providing the side posts 10 are the same height and the carrel C and stand M are the same width) the only adjustment necessary for adapting the supporting structure for use with the carrel C and the magazine display rack M is to change the disposition of the horizontal supporting brace 12 upon which the furniture unit rests by gravity. Any variety of furniture units can be supported by merely changing the height of the side posts, the width of brace 12 and the disposition of bores 20, 24.

It should also be understood that the rib and slot interfit between the supported furniture unit and side posts may be reversed with the slot being formed in the side walls of the furniture unit to receive a rib on the side posts, or the side posts themselves, forming an interfitting land and groove structure extending upright in the direction of the side posts.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom as some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. An article of furniture comprising: a supporting framework including a pair of spaced upright side posts and a horizontal supporting brace rigidly secured to and extending between said side posts substantially below the top of said posts forming a rigid cradle-like supporting framework, a furniture unit assembled upon and supported by said framework, said unit having a substantial portion between said side posts and resing by gravity on said horizontal brace, said furniture unit and said side posts having complementary interengaging vertical rib and vertical slot means, said posts and horizontal brace beingthe sole means for positioning and retaining said unit Within the cradle formed by said supporting framework, and groove means at the bottom of said furniture unit for receiving and embracing said horizontal supporting brace.

2. An article of furniture comprising: a supporting framework including a pair of spaced upright side posts and a horizontal supporting brace rigidly secured to and extending between said side posts substantially below the top of said posts forming a rigid crandle-like supporting framework, each of said side posts having means forming a vertical slot above said horizontal brace and opening toward the opposits post, and a furniture unit assembled upon and supported by said framework, said unit having a substantial portion between said side posts resting by gravity on said horizontal brace, said furniture unit including a pair of spaced side walls disposed in planes generally perpendicular to a plane formed by said side posts, said side walls bearing against the inside of said side posts and having vertical ribs extending outwardly therefrom into the slots in said side posts, said posts and horizontal brace being the sole means for positioning and retaining said unit within the cradle formed by said supporting framework.

3. An article of furniture as set forth in claim 2 wherein said furniture unit includes a bottom wall which rests on said horizontal supporting brace and wherein said side walls extend below said bottom wall and have downwardly opening grooves extending from the bottom wall for receiving and embracing said horizontal brace.

4. An article of furniture comprising: a supporting framework including a pair of spaced upright side posts and a horizontal supporting brace rigidly secured to and extending between said side posts substantially below the top of said posts forming a rigid cradle-like supporting framework, each of said side posts comprising a pair of vertical bar-like members secured together in spaced relationship forming a slot above said horizontal brace and opening toward the opposite post, and a furniture unit assembled upon and supported by said framework, said unit having a substantial portion between said side posts resting by gravity on said horizontal brace, said furniture unit including a pair of vertical ribs, one disposed within each of the slots of said side posts, said posts and horizontal brace being the sole means for positioning and retaining said unit within the cradle formed by said supporting framework.

5. An article of furniture as set forth in claim 4 wherein said horizontal brace has opposite ends extending into the space between the bar-like members of said side posts and secured thereto.

6. An article of furniture comprising: a supporting framework including a pair of spaced upright side posts and a horizontal supporting brace rigidly secured to and extending between said side posts substantially below the top of said posts forming a rigid cradle-like supporting framework, each of said side posts having means forming a vertical slot above said horizontal brace and opening toward the opposite post, and a furniture unit assembled upon and supported .by said framework, said unit having a substantial portion between said side posts resting by gravity on said horizontal brace, said furniture unit including a pair of vertical ribs, one disposed within each of the slots of said side posts, said posts and horizontal brace being the sole means for positioning and retaining said unit within the cradle formed by said supporting framework, the spacing between said side posts immediate- 1y above the horizontal brace being at least equal to the width of that portion of the furniture unit disposed therebetween and the spacing between the upper end of said side posts, prior to assembly with said furniture unit, being slightly less than the width of that portion of the furniture unit to be disposed therebetween so that said side posts bear inwardly under tension against said furniture unit when the article of furniture is assembled.

7. An article of furniture as set forth in claim 6 wherein said side posts are straight and slightly inclined inwardly toward each other from said horizontal brace to the top of the posts.

8. An article of furniture as set forth in claim 7 wherein said side posts are made of steel and bear inwardly under tension against said furniture unit.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/ 1905 Field 10859 6/ 1921 Weston 211134 XR 1/1937 Lewin 211177 4/1951 White 312-255 9/ 1965 Ginat 108-159 7/ 1966 Straits 297135 US. Cl. X.R. 

